How To Create An Effective Book Landing Page
Building a very special readership Did you know one of the most effective ways to build a readership – one which grows with you and is loyal to your brand – is with an email newsletter? Receiving an email from a beloved author is a highlight for many readers. It gives them insight into your world and reminds them about your books in a personal way. Not sure how to design an amazing newsletter? 5 Tips for Designing Author Newsletters. How do you find readers who want to subscribe to your newsletter list? What would encourage a new-to-you...
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11 Book Promo Ideas Worth Exploring
Are you a new author with your first book out? Or have you been publishing books for years? Either way, you need to know how to choose the best promotional ideas so you won't waste time and money. So, how do you decide what promos are best for you? First, clarify where you are in your publishing journey, so your promotions fit your circumstances and your budget. For instance, are you launching your first novel or is it part of an ongoing series? Will a seven-week blog tour be more helpful than a five-day giveaway? Do you really need a...
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How To Make Your Author Newsletter A Priority In Your Sales Game
And enjoy writing it. No way, I hate writing newsletters … I can hear you now. But read on and you’ll find out why I made that bold statement. YOU HAVE CONTROL This is the #1 reason to build a strong mailing list and keep those subscribers engaged. All the other social media outlets we use, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest are wonderful ways to get your books in front of people. But, and it’s a biggie, those anonymous behind-the-scenes people control who sees what. Not you. And worse, their algorithms change. Take Facebook for...
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How Book Brush Enables Introverted Authors To Create Marketing Materials
Merriam-Webster defines an introvert as “a reserved or shy person who enjoys spending time alone.” Conversely, an extrovert is “gregarious and unreserved.” Let’s face it. The vast majority of authors are serious introverts. And quite frankly, we like it that way! Despite having spent most of my life working with and leading large groups of people, like most introverts, I prefer quiet time, smaller, intimate gatherings, and introspection. Extroverts, tend to derive energy from crowds, and thrive from lots of interaction. As an introvert, I’d...
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4 Easy Peasy Ways to Make Bookmarks for Readers
People still love bookmarks. E-readers haven’t taken that opportunity away from us authors. We all still have books, novels, cookbooks, reference books, etc. and they still need marking. So why not make sure that when they open up that marked spot, they remember you! After deciding what you want to promote: yourself, a current book or series, or a freebie link and author page, we can dive into the creating part. 1. USING COMMUNITY TEMPLATES Book Brush makes this easy-peasy with Community Templates. In the Custom Creator Tool, just click...
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8 Great Reasons to Join a Writing Group Online
Online writing groups can offer all genres and levels of writers an opportunity to learn more about the writing craft and publishing industry. Similar to in-person writing groups, participants can ask questions, and receive constructive feedback on their latest writing project. Groups meets weekly or monthly depending on pre-established guidelines that help organize and keep things One of the purposes of online writing groups is to focus on topics imperative for success in the publishing industry. This is accomplished either through offering...
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8 Ways To Defeat Writer’s Block
Writer’s BlockDo those two words strike terror in your writer’s heart? Have you faced it? I have and many of my author friends have as well. It doesn’t have to be the death knell to your career, promise. There are ways to combat it, overcome it, and move forward. Not everyone’s writers’ block is the same. Some triggers are physical, either a health change, a location change, a job change. Some are emotional, a death, a critical review, a horrible critique. The stress from any of these can manifest itself in a total creative standstill. Which...
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Using Instagram Stories to Grow Your Reader Audience
I know. I know. It seems like, every time we turn around, folks are telling us we have to be on this social platform or using that social strategy. And it seems like every few months, each platform launches another new way to use it. How can an author keep track of ALL THE THINGS? But trust me. This Instagram Stories is a platform all authors should absolutely be using to build their brand, increase their reading audience, and yes, sell more books. Why? As of the most recent stats (early 2020), over 500 million Instagram users were posting 1...
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5 Cool Conference Swag Ideas For Authors
Writing a post on conference swag (those things you give away with your name on them) seems to be a perfect follow up to last month's blog by Tawdra Kandle’s on Conferences. Generally speaking, a conference swag room is for conference attendees. However, if the conference you’re attending has public book signings, you’ll also need some swag at your table. First thing to remember is that carting or shipping swag can be heavy and/or expensive. Usually, hotels have a storage or acceptance of packages fee, so take that into account. 1. Be a part...
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7 Ways To Maximize Your Author Conference Experience
Let’s face it: thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a weird year for conferences and conventions in all industries. The publishing world was no exception. The vast majority of meetings were canceled or converted to an online platform. Face-to-face gatherings were rare after February. As the programming chair for the Novelists, Inc., 2020 conference, I know all too well the challenges of both organizing and attending events—not only in this unprecedented age, but all the time. Will we see a change in 2021? Will conferences return in full...
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